Automatic feathering oar-lock.



PATENTED. JULY 17, 1906. w. H. PBNDLBTON.

AUTOMATIC FEATHERING OAR LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19. 1905.

fizz/ewe? @MZ 5. 52 12614 31520 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC FEATHERING OAR-LOCK.

Application filed anuary 19, 1905. Serial No. 241,734.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1906.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM H. E. PEN- DLETON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Automatic Feathering Oar Look, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide an oar-lock which will automatically turn the oar axially as the oar is swept back and forth by the rower, the amount of rotation given to the oar being substantially ninety degrees or less, so that as the oar is pulled through the working stroke the blades of the oar will stand perpendicularly in the water, while during the recovery the blades will stand approximately parallel with the surface of the water or with their rear edges slightly depressed, so that the blades will feather the water during the recovery.

Another object is to provide a device of the character. described which is fitted to receive oars with looms of various sizes and which is adapted to have an oar readily attached thereto without requiring the use of tools of any kind or without any fitting or alteration of the car, the device being adapted to be in stantly substituted in place of the ordinary oar-lock. 7

Other objects ofthe invention are to provide a device of the character described which is simple and economical of construction and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description.

The invention comprises a swivel-bracket adapted to be attached to the gunwale of a boat and a pendant loom-clamp pivotally supported by the swivel-bracket, so that as the handle of the oar is worked in one direction the loom-clamp-will. take one position relatively to the swivel-bracket as the latter turns in one direction and will take another position (due to the pull of the loom) relatively to the swivel-bracket as the latter turns in the opposite direction when the oar is worked in the other direction.

the device. Fig. 3is a perspective of another form of pendant loom-clamp.

In the present invention, 1 designates the swivelbracket, which is provided with a swivel-pin 2, preferably tapering, as shown, and adapted to be inserted in the gunwalesocket. (Not shown.) The upper end of the swivel-bracket 1 has a horizontal pin 3, upon which is hung loosely a hanger-pendant 4, having wings 5. Passing through the wings 5 is a pin 6, and carried by the pin 6 is a loom-clamp 7, in this embodiment comprising bowed members 8 and 9 with a hinge 10, the bowed member 9 being carried by the pin 6 and the bowed member 8 being bifurcated at its free end, forming toes 11.

Lying between the ears 5 and pivoted on the pin 6 is a bolt 12, upon which is screwed a nut 13, and pivoted to the nut 13 is a bifurcated clamping-lever 14, having clampingfaces 15 for bearing against the toes 11 and for squeezing the bowed members of the loom-clamp together when the clamping-le ver 14 is drawn into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. By pushing the clamping-lever 14 away from the bowed member 8 the cam-faces 15 free the toes 11 and allow the bolt 12 to be swung up into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus allowing the bowed members 8 and 9 to swing apart, releasing the oar and allowing the same to be freely withdrawn.

The pressure of the loom-clamp upon the oar may be regulated by adjusting the nut 13 upon the bolt 12, which adjustment varies the location of clamping-lever 14 and is sufficient to increase and diminish the capacity of the loom-clamp to adapt it to take in oars having looms differing in size beyond the range of adjustment afforded by the clamping means 14. This construction pro vides a double adjustment for expanding or contracting the loom-holding portion of the clamp.

In operation the oar is clamped in the device, as shown, and in rowing the oarsman faces the side of the device presented in Fig. 2. When the oarsman pulls the handle of the oar toward him as the blade is resisted by the water, the loom-clamp automatically swings in toward the swivel-bracket and rests against the same, and in clamping the oar in the loom-clamp it should be so arranged that when the loom-clamp bears against the swivel-bracket in this position the blade of the oar will be substantially parallel with the swivel-pin 2, so that it will stand vertical in the water. Then the oarsman pushes the handle of the oar away from him, the loom-clamp swings away from the swivelbracket until the toes 11 strike against the wings 5, thus moving the loom of the oar bodily a short distance, and thereby also effecting an axial turn, which causes the blade to stand parallel with the water-level, or substantially so. This movement of the loomclamp and axial turn of the loom is accomplished very quickly, necessitating only an inch or so of movement of the handle, whereupon the continued pushing away of the handle causes the swivel-bracket to turn as the oar is swept back during the recovery, feathering the surface of the water as it comes back, at the termination of which stroke the oarsman in pulling upon the handle again rocks the loom-clamp against the swivelbracket. The blades of the oar are thus turned vertical, and the blades are then dropped into the water and the working stroke given, as before described. Thus in rowing all that is necessary for the oarsman to do is to work the handles of the oars backward and forward, the blades of the oars automatically taking the vertical and horizontal position during the working and recovering strokes, respectively, it not being necessary for the oarsman to use any wrist motion to turn the oars axially, it of course being necessary for him to drop the blades to the water at the end of the recovery stroke. Thus a person who is merely able to manipulate the oars in the ordinary fashion without feathering may without experience by the use of this device row with the feathering stroke. Further more, an accomplished oarsman by using this device may avoid the extra muscular labor of the wrist motion which he would of necessity employ in feathering his oars when using the ordinary oar-lock.

Fig. 3 shows another form of loom-clamp in which the clamp instead of being formed of two bowed members, as in Fig. 1, comprises a hoop 16, formed of sheet spring metal, being bent back at its free end and reinforced by L-shaped pieces 17 in order to. give the necessary stiffness against which the cam-faces 15 of the clamping-lever 14 may bear to force the free end of the hoop 16 in and cause the same to clamp the loom of the car.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is 1. A swivel-bracket adapted to turn in a horizontal plane, a loom-clamp carried by the swivel-bracket and mounted to swing in a vertical plane, and means for increasing and diminishing the capacity of the loomclamp.

2. A swivel-bracket adapted to turn in a horizontal plane, a loom-clamp mounted on the swivel-bracket to swing in a vertical plane and provided with a clamping-lever, and means for varying the location of said lever to increase and diminish the capacity of the clamp.

3. A swivel-bracket, a hanger pivoted thereto, a loom-clamp comprising hinged bowed members, one of the members being pivoted to the hanger, and a device for contracting the bowed members.

4. A swivel-bracket, a loom-clamp connected therewith to swing in two planes and comprising a circular device adapted to grasp the loom of the oar, and means having a double adjustment for expanding or contracting the circular device to loosen or grip the loom.

5. A swivel-bracket, a loom-clamp connected therewith to swing in two planes and comprising a circular device adapted to grasp the loom of the oar, and means for opening the circular device to allow lateral insertion of the loom and for closing and contracting the circular device after the loom is in place. i

6. A swivelbracket, a hanger pivoted thereto, a loom-clamp comprising hinged bowed members, one of which is pivoted to the hanger, a bolt pivoted to the hanger, a nut on the bolt, and a clamping-lever pivoted to the nut for forcing in the adjacent bowed member.

7. A swivel-bracket adapted to turn in a horizontal plane, a hanger-pendant mounted on said bracket, a device adapted to grasp the loom of an oar swiveled to said hangerpendant, a bolt swiveled to said hangerpendant, a nut screwed on said bolt, and a clamping-lever pivoted to said nut to operate said device.

8. In a device of the class described, a loom-clamp provided with a clamping-lever, and means for varying the location of said lever to increase and diminish the capacity of the clamp.

9. In a device of the class described, a loom-clamp provided with a clamping-lever, and screw-threaded means for varying the location of said lever to increase and diminish the capacity of the clamp.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 12th day of January, 1905.

I/VILLIAM H. .E. PENDLETON.

In presence of STODDARD Jnss, J. M. ELLIOTT.

ITO 

